---
title: flexible — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «flexible» in the school dictionary: Something flexible can bend easily without breaking, like rubber or a plastic ruler. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# flexible

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Something, flexible person, flexible plan, their, Rubber, Gymnasts · **What happens:** bend, break, stretch, change, suit, be · **To what, where:** rubber, body, new situations, plans, flexible material, us

<!-- .vabout -->
«flexible» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [flexible in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/flexible.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something flexible can bend easily without breaking, like rubber or a plastic ruler.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:m1:1
# text = Something flexible can bend easily without breaking, like rubber or a plastic ruler.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
2	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	amod	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	bend	bend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	breaking	break	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	rubber	rubber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	plastic	plastic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	ruler	ruler	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bend** | can | Something |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **break** | gerund | Something *not said here* | rubber or a plastic ruler |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer rubber=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flexible person can bend and stretch their body easily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:m2:1
# text = A flexible person can bend and stretch their body easily.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	bend	bend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	stretch	stretch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bend** | can | a flexible person |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **stretch** | infinitive | a flexible person *not said here* | their body |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent body=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flexible plan, time or rule can change to suit new situations.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:m3:1
# text = A flexible plan, time or rule can change to suit new situations.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	suit	suit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
12	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	situations	situation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | can | a flexible plan or rule |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **suit** | to-infinitive | a flexible plan or rule *not said here* | new situations |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flexible person is willing to change their plans or ideas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:m4:1
# text = A flexible person is willing to change their plans or ideas.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	willing	willing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	plans	plan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a flexible person |  |  |  |  | willing *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **change** | to-infinitive | a flexible person *not said here* | their plans or ideas |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plan=Patient |
| 3 | **plan** |  | their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom plan «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rubber is a flexible material.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x1:1
# text = Rubber is a flexible material.
1	Rubber	rubber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	material	material	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Rubber | a flexible material |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gymnasts are very flexible and can do the splits.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x2:1
# text = Gymnasts are very flexible and can do the splits.
1	Gymnasts	gymnast	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	splits	split	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Gymnasts |  |  |  |  | flexible *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | can | Gymnasts *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **split** | present | Gymnasts *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn break-45.1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The plastic ruler is flexible, but the wooden one is not.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x3:1
# text = The plastic ruler is flexible, but the wooden one is not.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	plastic	plastic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	ruler	ruler	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the plastic ruler |  |  |  |  | flexible *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **be** | present | the wooden one |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum has flexible hours, so she can pick us up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x4:1
# text = Mum has flexible hours, so she can pick us up.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	pick	pick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
10	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Mum |  |  |  | hour |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **pick up** | can | Mum | us |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our plans are flexible — we can go tomorrow if it rains.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x5:1
# text = Our plans are flexible — we can go tomorrow if it rains.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	plans	plan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	parataxis	_	_
9	tomorrow	tomorrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
10	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	rains	rain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Our plans |  |  |  |  | flexible *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | can | we |  |  |  | tomorrow |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **rain** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |
| 4 | **plan** |  | Our |  |  |  |  |  | nom plan «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Be flexible and try another way to solve the problem.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x6:1
# text = Be flexible and try another way to solve the problem.
1	Be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	cop	_	_
2	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	try	try	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
5	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	solve	solve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | flexible *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **try** | infinitive | you *not said here* | another way |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Eventuality |
| 3 | **solve** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the problem |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent problem=Topic |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Copper wire is flexible enough to bend into shapes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x7:1
# text = Copper wire is flexible enough to bend into shapes.
1	Copper	copper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	wire	wire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	enough	enough	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	bend	bend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	shapes	shape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Copper wire |  |  |  |  | enough, flexible *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **bend** | to-infinitive | Copper wire *not said here* |  |  | shapes |  |  | vn knead-26.5 «NP.material V PP.product»: agent=Material into shape=Product |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The branches were long slimy arms, with fingers like flexible worms, moving limb after limb from the root to the top.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flexible:x8:1
# text = The branches were long slimy arms, with fingers like flexible worms, moving limb after limb from the root to the top.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	branches	branch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	slimy	slimy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	worms	worm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	moving	move	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	_
15	limb	limb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
16	after	after	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	limb	limb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
18	from	from	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	root	root	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
21	to	to	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the branches | long slimy arms and fingers like flexible worms |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **move** | gerund | fingers like flexible worms *not said here* | limb |  | the root to the top | after limb |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent limb=Theme from root=Trajectory |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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